As part of the judging process, each shop is carefully assessed on a variety of elements including: sustainable sourcing policies, menu development and innovation, staff training policies and processes and wider marketing and promotional activity and techniques – and of course the quality of fish and chips on offer and the levels of customer service provided by staff.

The best fish and chip restaurant has been revealed

Over the coming weeks the shops will undergo a further phase of mystery diner judging inspections in order to whittle the UK Top 20 down to a UK Top 10 shortlist, before the final stage of judging held in London in January 2019.